Soliai sets new registration deadline for candidates

Chief Election Officer Soliai Tuipine Fuimaono will release today an official public letter regarding the change of deadline date for submission of candidate applications for residents seeking public office in the Nov. 6 general election.

In accordance with local election law, Soliai issued a public notice early last month announcing that the Election Office has now made available applications and other documents for public office, with the deadline for submission noted as being close of business on Sept. 1.

However, Soliai told Samoa News yesterday that a new notice is coming out regarding the change of deadline date for accepting candidates applications, because Sept. 1 falls on a Saturday.

He said the next working day, Sept. 3, is a local and national holiday, Labor Day, and therefore the new deadline for accepting applications from candidates is the close of business on Sept. 4, a Tuesday.

“I continue to encourage candidates to please file early — before the deadline — giving the Election Office time to review and verify the candidate’s application,” said Soliai, who noted that nomination petitions and other documents are available at the Election Office in Tafuna.

Candidate materials include a 2012 candidate manual, candidate questionnaire and information form, nomination petition, campaign spending commission forms, and a list of the 2010 official roll of registered voters.

The 2010 voter roll is provided to assist candidates with their respective nomination petition requirements. The 2012 official list of qualified voters will be available to candidates once they are certified and after close of registration on Oct. 9, 2012.

Soliai reminds candidates that the petitions are necessary as part of each candidate’s registration for public office. “I humbly ask all candidates seeking public work for their cooperation to make this year’s election process a smooth and successful one,” he said in a telephone interview.

OTHER ELECTION ISSUES

Meanwhile, Soliai said electors wanting to transfer their voting district must fully comply with local election law and other election regulations. He said it’s very important that the person wanting to transfer to another district also provide necessary documentation to prove the new place of residency. Information on requirements are available at the election office.

He also says that starting next Monday, the Election Office will have applications available for local residents who want to work temporarily on Election Day as election officials. The Election Office will make applications available up to the week of Sept. 17. All applications will be fully reviewed before a final selection is made. Thereafter the election officials will go through training, and the total number of temporary workers for this year’s election should be known next month.

As in past elections, one of the main issues that Soliai will stress to all temporary workers hired for election day, is that they are not publicly campaigning for any candidate running for office.

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